Method and apparatus for making compressible infusion package

ABSTRACT

AN IMPROVED METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING AN INFUSION SUCH AS A TEA BAG PACKAGE, THE PACKAGE COMPRISING THE ASSEMBLY OF AN INFUSION BAG AND A WRAPPER-COVER FOLDED OVER ONE END OF AND OVER THE FACES OF THE BAG THE SUSPENDING STRING OF THE BAG BEING WOUND ABOUT THE ASSEMBLY AND THE FREE END OF THE STRING BEING DETACHABLY ANCHORED IN A SLIT FORMED IN THE FOLD OF THE WRAPPERCOVER, THE METHOD AND MACHINE IMPROVEMENTS CENTERING ABOUT THE PRECREASING OF THE COVER MEMBER TO PRODUCE A DEFINED FOLD LINE THEREIN, THE DRAWING OF THE FREE END OF THE STRING AFTER THE WINDING OPERATION TO STRING-CUT THE SLIT IN THE WRAPPER-COVER FOLD AND THE TENSIONING CONTROL OF THE STRING THROUGH ALL THE OPERATIONS AND STEPS OF THE MACHINE AND METHOD.

March 2, 1971 [RMSCHER 7 3,566,573

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec.5. 1968 8 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR HANS a. nwso/z/e March 1971 H. o.IRMSCHER 3,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec.5. 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR H/M/S 0 Mama/2 Y L ATTORNEY March 2,1971 H. o. IRMSCHER 3,566,573

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec.5. 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 //6 FIG. [2

INVENTOR H/Ws 0. 09/1 150/15? g r BY ATTORNEY March 1971 v H. o.IRMSCHER 3,566,573

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec.5. 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR H/l/VS O-MMSCHER ATTORNEY March 2,1971 Q ER 3,566,573

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec.5, 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 March 2, 1971 H. O. IRMSCHER METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec. 5) 1968 8Sheets-Sheet 7 Q. at

March 2, 1971 H. o. IRMSCHER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKINGCOMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG.20

INVENTOR f/fl/VS 0. MMSCl/Er? v r Vi a-1".

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,566,573 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAIHN GCOMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Hans 0. Irmscher, Malverne, N.Y., assignorto National Tea Packing (10., Inc., Long Island City, N.Y. Filed Dec. 3,1968, Ser. No. 780,757 Int. Cl. B651) 29/04 U.S. CI. 53-14 16 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE An improved method and machine for making aninfusion such as a tea bag package, the package comprising the assemblyof an infusion bag and a wrapper-cover folded over one end of and overthe faces of the bag, the suspending string of the bag being wound aboutthe assembly and the free end of the string being detachably anchored ina slit formed in the fold of the wrappercover, the method and machineimprovements centering about the precreasing of the cover member toproduce a defined fold line therein, the drawing of the free end of thestring after the winding operation to string-cut the slit in theWrapper-cover fold and the tensioning control of the string through allthe operations and steps of the machine and method.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for making acompressible infusion package, and more particularly to machine andmethod improvements to the disclosure of my Pat. No. 3,143,834 patentedAug. 11, 1964.

The invention pertains to the making of a compressible infusion package,and more particularly to tea bag package in which a tea bag is combinedwith a folded cover member the wings of which are folded over the teabag to engage the faces of the same and which in use are pressed betweenones fingers to compress and squeeze the tea bag for the purpose ofexpelling residual fluid therefrom after an infusion step. Tea bags arecommonly made with suspending strings which function as a means forsuspending and holding the tea bag for the act of immersion andwithdrawal of the bag from the tea cup. The tea bag cover member isassociated with the string suspendable tea bag so that the wings of thecover normally embrace the dry tea bag, is withdrawn therefrom to serveas a handhold for the tea bag suspended during the infusion step and isthen returned in position over the tea bag upon withdrawal from the teacup for the compression step.

In the method disclosed in my said prior patent, a flexible sheet memberis folded over the tea bag to form a two-wing wrapper-cover therefor andthe suspending string is wound about and encircles the assembly of thetea bag and wrapper-cover and is then anchored at its free end to thecover and more particularly to a slit in the fold on the cover, the saidslit acting for detachably anchoring the free end of the string to thecover member. The end of the suspending string is so anchored to thefold of the package assembly that the string may be readily detachedfrom its anchored position by a simple pull applied to the end of thestring. The string also normally functions for firmly tying thewrapper-cover to the tea bag, with the result that a unitary firmed-uppackage is produced, highly serviceable for box-packaging handling.

The machine and method improvements of my present invention to thedisclosure of my aforesaid patent center about the following objects andprovisions:

(1) The wrapper-cover member for the bag, made of a heat insulatingflexible sheet-material, such as a polystyrene foam, is precreased toproduce a defined fold line therein before folding the cover member overthe tea bag.

This accomplishes a number of desired results, namely (a) cracking ofthe sheet material at the fold is obviated and a clean, straightlycreased fold is produced, (b) the cover member folds more readily at itsdefined fold line when folded over the faces of the tea bag, aself-folding operation in effect taking place, and (c) with a controlledfeeding of the flexible sheet material, from which the cover member issevered, associated with the precreasing operation, an accuratepositioning of the cover member with reference to a relatively movabletea bag is obtained with the result that the fold line is located inprecisionreception of the tea bag for the folding operation,

(2) The anchoring of the free end of the suspending string to the foldof the wrapper-cover member, after winding the string about andencircling the assembly of the wrapper-cover member and the infusionbag, is effected by forcibly drawing the end of the string over and intothe fold line, the string thereby cutting a slit in the fold line, thestring-cut slit forming the means for detachably anchoring the string inthe fold of the cover member. With this step and the machine parts usedtherefor, preslitting of the flexible sheet material, with its attendantdisadvantages, is precluded, other difliculties incident to locating thestring end with reference to a pre-arranged slit are avoided, and aneater, more attractive end product, of which a clean straight fold is afactor, is attained; and

(3) The tensioning of the string from the point of its severance from astring supply and the attachment of one of its ends to the tea bag tothe point of the attachment of its free end to the wrapper-cover fold,and the maintenance of this tensioning through the sequence ofoperations of the method, is achieved by an improved tensioningmechanism. This improved mechanism effects one of the diflicult tasks ofa machine of the character involved, namely to keep under constantcontrol the movement of a free-end string through a sequence and seriesof machine and method operations.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing objects and such other objects asmay hereinafter appear, my present invention relates to the machine andmethod improvements as sought to be defined in the appended claims,taken together with the following specification and the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a face view of a completed compressible infusion package asmade by the method and apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view depicting the manner of using the packagefor the infusion and compression steps;

FIG. 3 is a view of a flexible sheet member depicting the results of theoperations performed thereon to form the individual cover member for theinfusion bag;

FIG. 4 is a view of the elemental apparatus employed in the improvedprocess of producing the compressible tea bag package;

FIGS. 5 through 11 are sequential views, largely in diagrammatic form,depicting the various steps performed in the improved process forproducing the infusion package of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a vertical elevational view of the apparatus corresponding tothe figure shown in FIG. 4, but showing the apparatus in more detailedform;

FIG. 13 is a view, shown to an enlarged scale, of parts of the apparatusdepicted in FIG. 12 featuring the mechanism employed for operating uponthe flexible sheet member to form the individual cover member, showingthe relation of the latter to a tea bag to which such cover member isready to be applied;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of sheet feeding means shown particularly inFIG. 13 taken in section along the arcuate line 14- 14 thereof;

FIG. is a view, shown to an enlarged scale of the feeding means of FIG.14 taken in section in the plane of the line 1515 thereof;

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of that part of the apparatus of FIG. 12taken in section in the plane of the line 16-16 thereof;

FIG. 17 is a plan view of that part of the apparatus of FIG. 13 taken insection in the plane of the line 17-17 thereof;

FIG. 18 is a plan view of that part of the apparatus of FIG. 13 taken insection along the broken line 1818 thereof;

FIG. 19 is a vertical elevational view of the mechanism employed (andoperative at the bottom terminal point of the apparatus depicted in FIG.13) for anchoring the end of the suspending string to the fold of thewrappercover of the infusion bag;

FIG. 20 is a view of FIG. 19 taken in section along the broken line'20-20 thereof; and

FIG. 21 is a view of one of the parts of the mechanism shown in FIG. 20taken in section along the line 2121 thereof.

The method and apparatus of the invention may first be describedgenerically by reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the compressible infusion packagecomprises an infusion such as a tea bag T, a suspending string Sattached to an end such as to the top of the tea bag T and a flexiblecover member C folded over the top and of the infusion bag and definingtwo wings w and w engaging the faces f and f of the infusion bag. Thesaid string is attached to the top end of the tea bag preferably bybeing stapled thereto as at 10, and the said string is loosely threadedthrough an orifice 12 at the fold 14 of the cover member C. The saidcover member is also formed with a slit 16 across its fold. To form thepackage, the string S is wound about and encircles the cover member Cand the infusion bag T, the cover member then forming a wrapper for thetea bag and the free end 18 of the string S is drawn into the fold ofthe cover member C to produce therein the slit 16, thereby firmly tyingthe wrapper-cover to the tea bag and thereby detachably anchoring thestring to the package. The free end 18 of the string is also providedwith a finger tab 20 attached thereto in a position above the part ofthe string which is detachably held in the cover. slit.

1 In this composite package, as depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the covermember forms a wrapper embracing the faces of the bag; and the stringwound about and encircling the bag-cover assembly and anchored in thefoldslitof the cover forms a means for tightly and firmly tying thewrapper to the tea bag, with the result that a unitary firmed-up packageis produced. The integrity of the thus produced package is maintained inthe steps of box-packaging a group of such tea bag packages, therebyenabling a uniform and compact assembling of the same in a box. 1

FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings depict the manner of handling the packagefor consumer use. The package is opened by grasping the finger tab 20between the fingers of one hand and by then simply exerting a slightpull applied to the free end18 of the string S, thereby freeing thisstring end from the friction grip of the fold-slit 16. the fingers ofthe other hand at the same time holding the cover-wrapper C, all asdepicted in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The string S and the bag T are thenreleased while the cover-wrapper C is still finger held, with the resultdepicted in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the tea bag T falling to itssuspended condition for the infusion or brewing step, the string Sfreely falling through the orifice 12 in the cover C until stopped bythe engagement with the cover of the finger tab 20, the cover C servingas a handhold for the bag during the infusion or brewing step. Uponwithdrawal of the tea bag from the tea cup the finger tab 20 is thenagain grasped between the fingers of the user and the cover C is thenreturned to its position with its Wings w and w overlying the faces ofthe tea bag, the wings being then compressed between the users fingersfor compressing and squeezing the tea bag to expel the residual fluidtherein.

In FIG. 4 of the drawings I show generically the method of the presentinvention for making the compressible infusion package. Considered inits generic aspects, the method comprises the steps of attaching at onestation, designated as I, a string S to the top end of an infusion bag,such as the tea bag T, moving said bag, with said top end forward,together with the attached string S to a second station, designated asII, at which is positioned a flexible member which is to form the coverC, the said flexible member being provided with an orifice 12, thenpulling the free section of said string S through said orifice at saidsection station II by means of a looper 22, continuing the movement ofsaid bag T, end forward, into said flexible cover member, therebyfolding said member thereat over the two faces of the bag, thencontinuing the movement of said bag and the folded cover member assemblythrough subsequent stations designated as III and IV, while holding thefree section of said string S, this movement being accomplished byrotating the said assembly about or around said string, thereby windingthe said string about and encircling said assembly and subsequentlydrawing the end portion 18 of said string S at the station IV throughthe fold of the cover member C to produce the anchoring slit 16.Thereafter at a station, designated as V, where the assembly fromstation IV is deposited, the terminal tab 20 is attached to the stringend :18.

The described method is a continuous method of making the compressibleinfusion package, the steps of which will now be described more indetail. a

The string material 24 for forming the individual strings S is fed froma continuing supply source or spool in the direction of the arrow 26.The tea bags T held by grippers (later described) are deposited on acarrier wheel 28 which is intermittently rotated in the direction of thearrow 30 about a central axis defined by the shaft 32, and when a teabag reaches the first position shown in FIG. 4, the grippers move thetea bag to the station I where the string material 24 is attached bymeans of a staple 10 to the tea bag end. The string material is then cutor severed by means of the cutters 34, after which the bag T is returnedto the carrier wheel 28, the movement of the bag from and to the carrierwheel being indicated by the double arrow 36. Just prior to the stringsevering operation the string S of the next preceding bag T is engagedby fingers of a first tensioning means 38-.

In the next step of the process the bag T with its attached string ismoved to station II by the rotation of the carrier wheel 28. Thetensioning means 38 is then moved with the gripped string S from thefull line position to the dotted line (retracted) position shown in FIG.4, the full cycle of movement of the same being indicated by the doublearrow 40. In the retracted and thus held position of the string S alooper 22 is moved upwardly through the orifice 12 of the cover materialC, engages the string S and is then moved downwardly to a retractedcondition, thereby pulling the string S through the said orifice, thelooper in this operation being moved between the two dotted linepositions shown in the drawings.

During the movement of the bag from station I to station II, theflexible sheet material 42 for forming the cover member C is fed from acontinuing supply source through a braking control device 44 to afeeding mechanism generally designated as 46 which embodies a means 48,48 for precreasing the sheet 42 at spaced regions thereof to formdefined and accurately spaced fold lines in the sheet, a cover membercontaining a mid-positioned fold line being thereupon severed from thesheet by the cutter 50.

FIG. 3 illustrates the result of this feeding and pre creasingoperation. The continuously fed sheet material 42 provided with thespaced orifices 12, 12 and also with feeding notches 52, 52 (engaged byregistering pins in the feeding mechanism 46) is precreased at 54, 54 atspaced regions of the sheet, aligned with certain of the feedingregistered notches 52, 52, after which a cover member having anaccurately located mid-positioned fold line 54 is severed from theforward end of the sheet.

In the next step of the process the bag T, on the carrier wheel 28, ismoved, end forward, into the now severed flexible cover member C,thereby folding said cover member C about its feld line over the end ofthe bag T, the bag now with two wings of the cover engaging the facesthereof moving from station II to station III. In this movement the bagand cover assembly is engaged between a set of interior plates and a setof exterior plates, described later, the bag and cover assembly movingin the spaces between the two sets of plates and being confined by thewalls of these spaces. In this movement the string S, releasably held bythe looper 22 is frictionally engaged by a tensioning mechanismgenerally designated as 56 having the two component parts 56' and 56 thestring being thereby frictionally (and slidably) restrained by thetensioning mechanism. In this movement the string S is laid over oneside of the bag and cover assembly as clearly shown in FIG. 4.

In the next step of the process the assembly thus far produced istransferred to another rotatable carrier 58 rotatable in a directionopposite to that of carrier 28, as indicated by the arrow 60. Thecarrier 58 rotatable about an axis defined by the shaft 62 carries setsof gripper fingers, described later, pivotally oscillatable on thecarrier 58, the said fingers being movable from a closed condition atstation III to open position at station IV. In the finger closedposition at station III the embryo package assembly produced istransferred from the carrier wheel 28 to the carrier 58. It will benoted that the body of the bag T, just released from the space betweenthe interior and exterior plate sets is in a fiat condition with thewings of the cover C firmly in contact with the faces of the bag T, thestring S adding its eifect by exerting a pull on the outer face of theembryo assembly.

In the next step of the process the embryo bag assembly is moved by thecarrier 58, held between the said fingers from station III to stationIV. During this movement the string S is engaged by a fourth set oftension means 64; and as the embryo assembly is rotated from the stationHI to the station IV position, the string S completes its encirclement,under tension, of the bag and cover assembly, the assembly beingmaintained in its flattened state. At this station IV grippers 66movable over the are designated by the arrow 68, take hold of the end 18of the string S and move the same from the full line position shown inFIG. 4, over the fold of the cover member, cutting into the fold andproducing the slit 16 therein, the slit thereupon forming the means forfirmly anchoring the string in the cover member.

In the next step of the process the assembly thus produced moves to thestation V position where adhesive tab material 70 fed from a continuingsupply source is severed into sections, folded and then applied by knownmeans to the string ends 18 to form the finger tabs 20.

The method steps and the apparatus operations just described arediagrammatically shown in sequence in FIGS. 5 to 11 of the drawings, theresults of the machine and method improvements involved in the presentinvention being depicted in these figures. The wrapper-cover member Csevered at 50 from continuously fed sheet stock 42, precreased at 54,forms a defined fold line thereat (FIGS. 5 and 6). This cover member isaccurately positioned with reference to the tea bag T moving intoengagement therewith, the fold line being in a position for precisealignment with the stapled end of the tea bag (FIGS. 5 to 7). The teabag in its continued movement engages the cover member at its fold line,and the wings of the cover member fold themselves over the faces of thetea bag in a self-folding operation (FIGS. 8 and 9). After the string Sis wound about the assembly of the tea bag the wrapper cover (FIGS. 8 to10), the end 18 is forcibly drawn over and into the fold line 14 of thecover member, cutting the slit 16 therein for anchoring the string end(FIGS. 10 and 11).. Throughout these depicted operations, the string Sis kept under constant tension and control first by the tensioninggripping fingers 38, then by the two component tensioning parts 56 and56 of the tensioning mechanism 56 and finally by the tensioning means64, from which latter the string is drawn by the grippers 66. Thecomponent parts of the tensioning mechanism act as controls or guidesfor the movement of the looper 22 from the point when the looper firstengages the string (FIG. 6) to the point where the string moves into thelast tensioning means 64 (FIG. 9).

The mechanism for forming and positioning the wrapper-cover member willnow be described in more detail, this being shown in FIGS. 12 to 16,taken in connection with FIG. 4 of the drawings. This mechanism includesthe feeding means 46 which comprises an intermittently rotating wheelwhich, as aforesaid, embodies the precreasing means 48, the said wheelrotating in the direction indicated by the arrow 72 about the axis 74.The precreasing means 48 consists of blades anchored at spaced points (3such blades being shown) and extending as best indicated in FIGS. 4 and13 from the periphery 76 of the wheel. The continuous sheet stock 42guided by the idler wheel 78 is trained over the wheel and is moved withsaid wheel by means of spaced sets of feeding and registration pins 80,80 (see FIGS. 13-15) anchored at spaced points to the wheel and alsoextending above the periphery thereof, said pins functioning to receivethe perforations 52, 52 in the sheet 42. The said pins are aligned withthe precreasing blades 54, the alignment of the pins and the bladesserving to accurately determine the fold line of a produced cover memberand to move the same in alignment with the receiving end of the infusionbag.

Fixed to one side of the wheel is a cam plate 82 formed with depressedcam areas 84 located in alignment with the said pins and blades.Cooperating with the rim of the cam plate and movable into the cam areasthereof is a cam follower 85 controlling a resilient wheel 86 rotatablymounted on a lever 88 under the influence of an expansion spring 90 (seeFIG. 4). In the rotation of the feeding wheel 46 and the positivefeeding of the sheet stock 42 by the pins 80, 80 thereof, when the camfollower 85 moves into a cam area 84, the sheet stock is pressed by thewheel 86, and at its underneath surface, is impressed by the forcedengagement with a blade 48, and there is thereby produced in the sheetstock the defined fold line (54).

The feeding wheel 46 in its continued movement moves the sheet stock 42for positioning an end of the sheet stock for the cutting of an endsection thereof to form the cover member and for positioning the samefor alignment reception of the tea bag T as previously described. Inthis continued feeding operation, the sheet stock is moved between guideelements 91, 91 onto and over plate members 92 and 94 integral,respectively, with a set of exterior plates 96 and a set of interiorplates 98 (see particularly FIGS. 13 and 17), the previously cut end ofthe sheet stock being stopped by a frame part 100. The cover member isthereupon cut from the sheet stock by the cutters 50 previously referredto. It may be here pointed out that the assembly of the tea bag T andfolding cover member C move in and are confined by the walls of thespace 102 between the two sets of plates 96 and 98, as best shown inFIGS. 13, 17, and 18.

The mechanism for coordinating the cutting of the string and the actionon the string by the first tensioning means 28 will now be describedmore in detail, this being best shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 16 taken inconnection with FIG. 4 of the drawings. As already described, when a teabag reaches station I (FIG. 4) the first tensioning means 38 engages thestring S between stations I and II and moves the same between the fulland dotted line positions depicted in FIG. 4.

This tensioning means, best shown in FIG. 16 comprises the fixed andspring-influenced plier gripper members 38 and 38 respectively, whichwhen the tensioning means 38 is moved toward the string S, opens toreceive the string, which latter becomes lodged between the inner end ofa raised lip 38 formed in the plier member 38 and a recess formed in theplier member 38 The string S is thereby gripped for its desired movementto the dotted line position shown in FIG. 4, the string neverthelessbeing slidably (and frictionally) held by the tensioning plier mechanism38.

The means for moving this tensioning mechanism 38 between its statedpositions comprises a lever 104, to which the plier member 38 isaffixed, the said lever fulcrumed at 106 is movable about its fulcrum bya linkagelever 108 (FIG. 12) connected by link 109 to a lever 110fulcrumed at 111, in turn connected to a link 112 attached to anoperating lever 114 movable by a cam 116. Preferably, this describedoperating mechanism also serves to move the movable member 50 of thecutter 50; and to this end, this movable cutter member pressed intosliding condition by a leaf spring 118 is attached pivotally at 120 tothe lever 110 as best shown in FIG. 12. With this described structurethe string S is received by and frictionally held in the plier elementsof the tensioning means 38 just prior to the cutting of the string bythe cutter elements 34, and the cutter 50, 50 for severing the end covermember from the sheet stock 42 is operated upon the retracting movementof the tensioning means 38.

In FIGS. 12, 13 and 16 to 18, taken with FIG. 4 I show in greater detailthe means for moving the tea bag T relative to and into the sheet covermember S at the fold line 54 thereof, folding said cover member aboutsaid fold line of the tea bag and moving the produced assembly tostation III where it is partly wound about the string S. This meanscomprises the carrier wheel 2-8 with its appurtenant parts forreceiving, gripping and moving sequential tea bags through the space102, which latter forms a progressively decreasing throat from stationII to station III (FIGS. 4 and 12).

The carrier wheel 28 comprises two spaced plates 122 and 124, the frontplate 122 being fully shown in FIG. 12 and both plates being indicatedin FIGS. 16 and 17, spacedly connected together by means of the shaft 32therefor and also by additional means to be described presently. Thefront plate 122 carries a plurality in number) of gripper devicesgenerally designated as G and the rear plate carries a plurality ofcomplemental gripper devices generally designated as G, eachcomplemental set of gripper devices G and G functioning to receive andgrip the edges of a tea bag T and carry the same through to thereleasing station III of the apparatus (see FIGS. 12, 16 and 17).

Each complemental set of gripped devices is moved on the carrier Wheel28 between retracted positions a, a and an extended position bparticularly shown in FIG. 12. Each gripper device comprises a holder126 on which is mounted a movable gripper member 128 and a fixed grippermember 130 (see particularly FIGS. 16 and 17). The movable grippermember 128, tensioned by spring 131 is provided with a cam follower 132.In the rotational movement of the carrier, complemental cam followers132 engage cam members 134 (FIG. 17) for relatively moving the grippermembers to open and close the same. The gripper devices G mounted on thefront plate and the gripper devices G mounted on the rear plate of thecarrier are of the same but complemental structure as most clearlydepicted in FIG. 17.

Each set of complemental gripper devices G and G is moved between thedesignated a and b positions referred to by the following means: Eachfrontally mounted gripper device G is moved by two parallel arms 136 and138, to one end of each of which arms the holder 126 of the gripperdevice is pivotally connected as at 140 and 142 respectively (FIG. 12),the said arms being rotatably mounted on the plate 122 about axesdefined by their mounting shafts 144 and 146 respectively, the arm 136forming part of a lever, the other arm 148 of which is provided at itsend with a cam follower 150. Associated with the front plate 122 or madea part thereof is a cam 152 (FIG. 12). The complemental gripper devicesG are mounted on the rear plate 124 of the wheel carrier by means ofarms corresponding to the arms 136 and 138, pivotally connected in thesame way to the holders 126 therefor, such arms being rotatably mountedin the same way as the arms 136 and 138 on the rear plate 124, exceptthat such arms for the rear plate are devoid of the additional leverarms 148. Each rear plate gripping device G is moved with itscomplemental front plate gripper device by means of the shaft 144 of anarm 136 to which shaft the rear corresponding arm is fixed.

By means of this construction, it will be seen that as the carrier 28 isrotated, movement of the cam followers 150 in and by the cam 152 'willeffect the movement of each complemental set of gripper devices betweenthe retracted a, a positions to the extended b position referred to.When moving between the a and the b position and returning to an aposition (FIG. 12), the jaws of the complemental gripper devices areopened and then closed by the engagement of the cam followers 132 withthe cams 134 (FIG. 17). Such movement receives and grips the edges of atea bag to move the same into the throat defined by the space 102. Atstation III the cam followers 132 engage other cam parts 154 (FIG. 12)where the gripper jaws are again opened to release a tea bag fortransfer to the oppositely rotating carrier 58.

Each shaft 144 at the rear carrier plate 124 carries a gear 156 whichmeshes with a pinion 158 rotatable on said rear plate; and the shaft 160of said pinion carries, in the region or space between the plates 122and 124, a finger 162 movable between a retracted position 0 and anextended position d (FIG. 12) for the purpose of engaging and providinga back-up support for the string S when it is engaged to be gripped bythe jaws of the gripper 38 (see FIG. 4). The shafts 144 and 146 whichconnect the described arms on the opposite plates of the carrier 28 aswell as the shafts 160 define the means additional to the axis shaft 32for uniting the plates 122 and 124 of the carrier.

The rotatable carrier 58 (to which the tea bags are transferred atstation III) comprises a plate 164 carrying a plurality (three innumber) of gripper mechanisms G G for receiving the assemblies of thetea bags and cover members at station III from the carrier wheel 28 andfor moving the same to station IV and for finally depositing thecompleted assembled tea packages to station V (FIG. 4).

Each gripper mechanism G comprises movable jaws 166 and 168 between andwithin which are leaf springs 170 and 172 (serving to increase thegripping power of the gripper mechanism), the said jaws being movablebetween an open position shown at station HI to a closed position, whichremains closed at station IV for the endstrmg anchoring step (FIG. 12),after which the jaws are again opened to deposit the completed assemblyto station V (FIG. 4). The gripper jaw 168 is slotted at 169 (FIG. 20)where the cover slit is to be formed.

For supporting and moving the gripper jaws, the gripper jaw 166 is madeintegral with a compound arm 174 fixed to a shaft 176 rotatable in theplate 164, said compound arm carrying a rotatable cam follower 178 (seeFIGS. 12 and 20) and provided with a finger 180 for anchoring one end ofa compression spring 182, the other end of which is anchored against afixed part 184 on the plate 164 (FIG. 12). The other gripper jaw 168 isalso made integral with a compound arm 186 fixed to a shaft 188rotatable in the plate 164. These gripper jaws and the supporting armstherefor are mounted at the front of the plate 164 as best depicted inFIGS. 12 and 20. At the rear side of the plate 164 the shafts 176 and188 are connected by meshing gears 190 and 192 keyed to the shafts 176and 188. Cooperating with the cam followers 178 are provided cam members194 and 196 located in the path of movement of the cam followers (FIG.12). By means of this construction, it wall be seen that upon theengagement of a cam follower 178 with a cam the jaws of the grippingmechanism G will be opened, movement of the arm 174 being transmitted bythe gears 190 and 192 to cooperatively move the arm 186, and upon thedisengagement of the cam follower the jaws will be moved to a closedposition by means of the now compressed spring 182. Thus when a camfollower 17-8 is engaged by the cam 194 the jaws of a gripper mechanismG will be moved to open position in the manner shown in station 111 ofFIG. 12 for the reception of a tea bag and cover assembly, and when thecam follower is then disengaged from the cam the jaws will be springclosed at station I01 to grip and transfer the assembly to station IVfor the final operation of attaching the end of the string S to the foldof the cover member as heretofore outlined and as will be furtherdetailed below. In the further movement of the carrier 58, the camfollower 178 will be engaged by the cam 196 to open the jaws of thegripper mechanism to permit the movement of a completed assembly packagefrom the station IV to the station V (FIG. 4).

The control under continued tension of the movement of the string Sthrough the various operations thereof, the tensioning being effected bythe tensioning mechanisms 38, 56', 56 and 64, has already been describedwith reference to FIG. 4 and the sequential views of FIGS. 5 through 11,with the tensioning control of the string maintained up through the stepof anchoring the end of the string in the fold of the cover member C.The detailed structure of the first tensioning mechanism, namely, themovable gripper means 38, has also already been described. The detailedstructure of the cooperative tensioning mechanisms 56', 56 and 64 andthe cooperation therewith of the looper 22, factors in effecting thedesired control of the free end of the string S up to its anchoringpoint, will now be described.

The tensioning mechanisms 56', 56 and 64 are all mounted on and betweenthe exterior plate set 96, 96, best shown in part in FIGS. 17 and 18.The tensioning mechanism 56 is mounted between a block member 198 and ablock member 200 secured by pins 202, 202 to the said plates 96, 96; thetensioning mechanisms 56', 56 are mounted on the block member 200, andthe tensioning mechanism 64 is attached to one of the plate members 96(best seen in FIG. 18). The mounting of these mechanisms is effected bypivotally mounting the mechanism '56 on a pin 204 fixed into the block200, the mounting of the mechanism 56 is effected by pivotally mountingthe same on a pin 206 fixed into the block 200, and the mounting of themechanism 64 is effected by atfixing the same to the inside plate 96 bymeans of the pins 208 and 210 (FIG. 13).

The tensioning mechanism 56 comprises the lever arms 212 and 214fulcrumed on the mounting pin 204, the front arms of which define thegripping jZilWS of the tensioning mechanism, the rear arms beingtensioned by a spring 216 to move the jaws to their closed andtensioning positions. The tensioning mechanism 56 is of a similarstructure comprising levers 212' and 214 (see FIG. 13) fulcrumed aboutthe mounting pin 206, the front arms of which also define the grippingjaws of the tensioning mechanism, the rear arms being tensioned by aspring 216' for urging the jaws to their closed position.

As heretofore described in the sequential views of FIGS. 5 to 11, thelooper 22 in its movement from the point of engaging the string S,threading the same through the orifice 12 of a cover member and drawingthe same through the tensioning mechanisms 56 and 56 (see FIGS. 6 to 9),is itself controlled and guided in its said movement. This isaccomplished by structuring the tensioning mechanisms 56' and 56assisted by other parts of the plates 96, 96, to receive and acuratelyguide the extended movement of the looper 22. To accomplish this thegripper jaws of the tensioning mechanisms 56' and 56 are contoured attheir outer ends as, for example, at 218 (FIG. 17), to receive and guidethe movement of the looper, the movement of the looper through andbetween the gripper jaws of the two tensioning mechanisms being bestshown in FIG. 13 of the drawings. For assisting this guidance of thelooper movement, the inner end of the block 198 is suitably grooved asat 220 and an additional contoured guide 222 is formed at the lower endof the plates 96 (FIG. 13). Pins 223 between the jaws of the levers 212,214 and 212', 214' are provided to center the levers.

As heretofore set forth, after the looper 22 draws the string S throughthe tensioning mechanism 56 the tensioning mechanism 64 takes over thecontrol of the string by receiving and slidably gripping the free end ofthe string for and during the completion of its winding operation aboutthe tea bag and cover member assembly (see FIGS. 9 to 11). Thistensioning mechanism is so designed as to apply an increased tension tothe string end to enable the final operation of string-cutting the coverfold to be properly effected. This tensioning mechanism 64 is made tocomprise a fixed member 224 attached to the inner plate 96 (FIG. 18) anda movable member 226 pivoted at 228 to the fixed member influenced to aclosed gripping position by means of the spring 230. Lodged betweenthese members is a guide wheel 232 rotatable on the mounting pin 208.Cooperating with the members 224 and 226 there is provided a pressureplate 234 spring-pressed by the leaf spring 236 (FIG. 13). By means ofthis construction the string S, upon the movement of the carrier 58 fromstation III to station VI (see FIG. 4 and FIGS. 9 through 11), iswithdrawn from the jaws of the tensioning mechanism 56 is moved betweenthe plate members 224 and 226 to be tensioned thereby, then about theguide wheel 232, and finally into an end groove 238 formed in thepressure plate 234, the string end being there held under increasedtension for its final anchoring operation.

In FIGS. 19 to 21, I show the means (already previously depictedgenerally as pliers 66) for positively gripping and drawing the endportion '18 of the now wound string S from the elements of the lasttensioning mechanism 64 into the fold 14 of the wrapper-cover C (thelatter held between the jaws of a gripper mechanism G acting to cut theslit in said fold and anchoring the string end therein.

The plier means 66 (FIG. 21) comprises a movable plier element 240pivoted to a stationary plier element 242, the movable element beingmovable to plier open position by means of a right angle lever 244fulcrumed at 246 to the stationary plier element 242 and movable to aclosed position (as shown in FIG. 21) by means of a spring 248 anchoredas shown in FIG. 21 between parts of the movable and fixed plierelements. The string S when the plier elements are opened is firmlycaught between an end recess 250 in the movable plier element and theedge 252 of the stationary plier element. Opening of the pliers iseffected by actuation of the lever 244 by a cam follower 254 at the endof an arm thereof moved by the actuation of a U-shaped cam 256, the saidcam being oscillatably pivoted about the pins 258, 258 carried by amounting plate 260.

The pliers 66 is mounted for oscillatory movement on the mounting plate260 and is oscillated thereon by the following means: the stationaryelement of the pliers is attached to a base 262 fixed to a shaft 264rotatably mounted in the plate 260 to which shaft is fixed a partial 1 1pinion 266 meshing with a partial gear 268 which latter is provided withan actuating arm 270 connected for its operation to a link 272.

By means of this construction the following sequence of operations takesplace in gripping and drawing the end of the string S into and cutting aslit in the fold of the cover of the tea package, this sequence beingindicated by the arrows applied to FIGS. 19 through 21. Upon themovement of the gear and pinion, 268 and 266 (in the indicateddirections), the pliers 66 is moved to engage the strings S (FIG. 19).In this movement the elements of the pliers are moved to open the jawsthereof by the sidewise movement of the cam 256 thereby effecting itsengagement with the cam follower 254 which is being rotatably moved withthe pliers 66, the jaws of the pliers being thereby opened to engage thestring end. In the continued movement of these parts in the indicateddirections the cam 256 is moved in the opposite direction therebyenabling the jaws of the pliers to be spring closed and to therebyfirmly grip the string. In the continued movement of the pliers in theindicated direction, the string is forcibly drawn over the cover fold toproduce the slit therein and to anchor the string end therein. Again thecam 256 is brought into operation to open the plier jaws to release thestring. The pinion-gear combination is then moved in a return direction(opposite to the indicated arrows) to return the parts to the positionshown in FIG. 19.

The operation of the pliers 66 is efiected by means coordinated with themovement of the looper 22. The means for coordinating the movement ofthese parts comprises a cam 274 (bottom of FIG. 12) engaging a camfollower 276 fixed to a lever 278 fulcrumed at 280, to the end of whichlever is connected a link 282 the other end of which link is pivoted toan arm 284 in turn pivotally mounted at 286. To the arm 284 is alsopivoted the upper end of the link 272 (see both FIGS. 12 and 19). Bymeans of this structure rotation of the cam 274 will be seen to effectthe oscillation of the link 272 and its connected partial gear 268. Thelooper 22 is coordinately oscillated by this same described actuatingmeans by having the said looper attached at its lower end to a branch284' of said arm 284 (see FIG. 12).

The operation of the above described apparatus will be apparent from theabove detailed description of the means and mechanisms thereof; and suchoperation may be here recapitulated by reference to the descriptionalready given in connection with FIGS. 5 to 11 of the drawings. Awrapper-cover member C severed by the cutter 50 from a continuously fedsheet stock 42, is precreased at 54, forming a defined fold line thereat(FIGS. 5 and 6). This cover member is accurately positioned withreference to the tea bag T moving into engagement therewith, the foldline being in a position for precise alignment with the stapled end ofthe tea bag (FIGS. 5 to 7). The tea bag in its continued movementengages the cover member at its fold line, and wings of the covermembers fold themselves over the faces of the tea bag in a self-foldingoperation (FIGS. 8 and 9). After the string S is wound about theassembly of the bag and wrapper cover (FIGS. 8 to 10), the end 18 isforcibly drawn over and into the fold line 14 of the cover member,cutting the slit 16 therein for anchoring the string end (FIGS. 10 and11). Throughout these depicted operations, the string S is kept underconstant tension and control first by the tensioning gripping means 38,then by the two component tensioning mechanism 56' and 56 and finally bythe tensioning mechanism 64, from which latter the string is forciblydrawn by the plier grippers 66. The component parts of the tensioningmechanism 56 act as controls or guides for the movement of the looper 22from the point when the looper first engages the string (FIG. 6) to thepoint where the string moves into the last tensioning means 64 (FIG. 9).

It will be apparent that many changes may be made in the details of thedifferent mechanisms employed in the described apparatus withoutdeparting from the invention set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. The method of making a compressible infusion package which comprisesthe steps of precreasing a flexible sheet member to produce a definedfold line therein, moving an infusion bag, to an end of which isattached a suspending string, relative toand into said sheet member atthe fold line thereof, thereby folding said sheet member about its foldline on said infusion bag and thereby forming two wings of a covermember engaging the faces of the infusion bag, winding said string aboutand encircling the assembly of said formed cover member and infusionbag, then cutting a slit in the fold line of the cover member anddetachably anchoring the free end of said string in said slit.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the free end of the string isforcibly drawn into the fold line of the cover member, thereby cutting aslit thereat, the slit acting for detachably anchoring the free end ofsaid string to the cover member.

3. The method of claim 1 in which said flexible sheet member has anorifice located at its fold line, and the free end of said suspendingstring is threaded through said orifice when the infusion bag is movedrelative to said sheet member into the fold line thereof.

4. The method of making a compressible infusion package which comprisesthe steps of attaching a suspending string to one end of an infusionbag, precreasing a flexible sheet member provided with an orifice toproduce a defined fold line therein at said orifice, threading the freeend of said string through the orifice, moving said infusion bag at itssaid end relatively to and into said flexible sheet member at the foldline thereof and thereby folding said sheet member about its fold lineover said end of and over the infusion bag and thereby forming two wingsof a cover member engaging the faces of the infusion bag, winding saidstring about and encircling the assembly of said formed cover member andinfusion bag, and then cutting a slit in the fold line and drawing theend portion of said string into the fold line of said cover member,thereby firmly tying the cover member to the bag and detachablyanchoring the string in said cover member.

5. The method of claim 4, in which the drawing of the end portion of thestring into the fold line of said cover produces a slit thereat, theslit acting as a detachable anchoring means for the string.

6. An apparatus for making a compressible infusion package comprisingmeans for precreasing a flexible sheet member to produce a defined foldline therein, means for moving an infusion bag, at an end of which isattached a suspending string, relative to and into said sheet member atthe fold line thereof, thereby folding said sheet member about its foldline over said infusion bag and thereby forming two Wings of a covermember engaging the faces of the infusion bag, and mechanism windingsaid string about and encircling the assembly of said formed covermember and infusion bag, said mechanism including-a means for forciblydrawing the free end of the string into the fold line of the covermember, thereby cutting a slit therein, the slit acting for detachablyanchoring the free end of said string to the cover member.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, in which said flexible sheet member has anorifice located at its fold line, and with which there is provided meansfor threading the free end of said suspending string through saidorifice when the infusion bag is moved relative to the sheet member.

8. In the apparatus of claim 6, means for applying continuous tension tothe string as it is wound about the assembly of the cover member andinfusion bag and the free end of the string is anchored to the covermember.

9. In a method for making a compressible infusion package in which aflexible sheet member is folded over the faces of an infusion bag toform a cover member therefor and a suspending string attached at one ofits ends to the bag is wound about the assembly of said formed covermember and infusion bag and the free end of the string is detachablyanchored to the fold of said cover member, the step of tensioning andmaintaining a tension on said string through its winding and anchoringoperations and the step of positively gripping and forcibly drawing theend portion of said string while held under tension into the fold ofsaid cover thereby cutting a slit in said fold, the slit acting fordetachably anchoring the string in said fold.

10. In an apparatus for making a compressible infusion package in whicha flexible sheet member is folded over the faces of an infusion bag toform a cover member therefor and a suspending string attached at one ofits ends to the bag is wound about the assembly of said formed covermember and infusion bag and the free end of the string is detachablyanchored to the fold of said cover member, mechanism for tensioning andmaintaining a tension on said string through its winding and anchoringoperations, and means for positively gripping and forcibly drawing theend portion of said string from said tensioning mechanism and into thefold of said cover thereby cutting a slit in said fold, the slit actingas the detachable anchoring means for the string.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the referred to means comprisespliers mounted for movement of the jaws thereof into the path of thetensioned string and means for opening the jaws of the pliers forreceiving and for closing the jaws for gripping the string in theoperation of forcibly drawing the same into the cover fold and for thenopening the jaws of the pliers to release the string.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, in which the said last recited meanscomprises a cam follower connected to said pliers, a cam movable toengage the cam follower to effect the opening of the jaws of the pliers,and means acting on the jaws of the pliers to close the same forgripping engagement with the string.

13. In an apparatus for making a compressible infusion package in whicha flexible cover member is folded over the end of and over the faces ofan infusion bag to produce a wrapper-cover for the bag and thebag-attached and suspending string of the bag is threaded through anorifice at the fold of the cover member and is then wound about theassembly of the infusion bag and wrapper-cover and the free end of thestring is then detachably attached to the wrapper-cover, a mechanism forcontrolling the movement of the string through its operations comprisinga looper member movable through the orifice of said cover member forengaging the bag-unattached end of the string in a loop formed therein,threading it through the orifice and moving the string in its operationof being partially wound about said assembly, a first tensioning elementfor slidably gripping the string during its orifice threading operation,second and third tensioning elements for slidably gripping the stringduring its said winding operation, the said second and third grippingelements being structure to receive and guide the said looper member inits move ment through the cover member orifice and its movement duringthe said winding operation.

14. The mechanism of claim 13 in which the first tensioning element ismovable into gripping engagement with the string and the second andthird tensioning elements are stationarily mounted.

15. In combination with the mechanism of claim 13, a fourth tensioningelement positioned in relation to the third tensioning element toreceive and slidably gri the string for and during the completion of itswinding operation about said assembly.

16. In combination with the apparatus of claim 15, a pliers positionedin relation to said fourth tensioning element for gripping the end ofthe string and drawing the same out of the fourth tensioning elementover the fold of the wrapper cover to cut a string retaining slit in thewrapper cover fold.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,324,016 7/1943 Nadeau et a153208X 2,740,244 4/1956 Bell 53-137 3,143,834 8/1964 Irmscher 53134X3,345,795 10/ 1967 Anderson 53-29X 3,458,969 8/1969 Hudson 53-137 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner N. ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl.X.R. 53134; 99-77.1

